For many years, children and adults alike have found amusement and have passed the time by playing with aerodynamic flying disks. One popular version of such disk is marketed under the trade name "FRISBEE" and distributed by WHAM-O Manufacturing Co., a Kransco Group Company, of San Francisco, Calif. The object of the game, played in its traditional fashion, is to toss a disk back and forth between two or more players. The disk can be thrown with accuracy by imparting a circular spin on the disk by using a wrist-snapping or whipping motion.
In the above-described game, the person catching the disk can do so in a variety of ways. A player can simply catch the disk while it is in the air by grabbing the disk at its periphery and thus stopping its spinning motion. Some more advanced players, however, have developed various intricate and acrobatic ways of catching the disk involving many stunts and tricks to ultimately bring the disk to rest in one's hands.
More elaborate games have also been devised employing the aerodynamic flying disk. One example includes a game called "ultimate frisbee" that combines some of the features of European soccer and English rugby while using the flying disk. The aerodynamic flying disk can also be played solo employing some of the acrobatic acts referred to above in connection with catching the disk.
One problem with playing with the popular aerodynamic disk has been the player's ability to propel and catch the disk properly. For those who have difficulty developing the wrist-snapping motion required to accurately and properly throw the disk, the above games become hard, if not impossible, to play. In addition, there is a risk of injury to the hands and fingers if the disk is not caught properly. Moreover, for those who lack sufficient hand/arm strength, it is difficult to propel the flying disk more than a short distance, even when thrown using the proper technique.
Attempts have been made to provide an apparatus to assist in playing with an aerodynamic flying disk, but such attempts suffer from their own deficiencies. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,828, discloses a hand-held disk launching and catching device. However, the device disclosed is large and cumbersome, and may be difficult to manipulate to catch and retain the flying disk. Another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,688, also discloses a hand-held disk launching and catching apparatus. However, this patent may also be difficult to use to catch and retain the flying disk.
What is lacking, therefore, is a device that can be used to easily catch and retain the disk. A device of this type would be easy to use and would allow those who are young or are unable to properly manipulate the flying disk to catch and propel the disk. Such a device would preferably be light in weight and provide a facility to easily locate and catch the disk. The device would also preferably assist the player in throwing the disk using the same wrist-snapping motion employed to propel the disk by hand.